Mutual Funds Basics

National Savings Certificate (NSC) is one of the investment options the Government of India offers. NSC investments are received and serviced by the National Small Savings Fund, managed by the government through the interface of post offices.

As per income tax laws, all taxpayers must file their Income Tax Return (ITR) for the previous year, within the prescribed due dates, during the assessment year. The due date for filing tax returns for salaried taxpayers & non-audit businesspersons and professionals is usually July 31. Sometimes this date may be extended by the Finance Ministry.

Since the terms  'financial year', 'previous year' and 'assessment year' are often used in income tax laws, it’s helpful for all taxpayers to know their basic meaning. Read on to know the meaning and importance of these terms.

With the evolution of financial markets, people may find themselves flooded with several options for investing their savings. These include fixed/recurring deposits, mutual funds, government bonds, stocks, etc. Among these options, investing in benchmark indices may pose a transparent investing strategy to equity investors, as they will be exposed towards a pre-defined basket of stocks.

Mutual funds are increasingly becoming the preferred option for retail investors, as reflected by the consistent monthly SIP inflows. As per the latest data released by the Association of Mutual Funds in India (AMFI), mutual funds received Rs. 12,976 crores through Systematic Investment Plans (SIPs) in September 2022 alone and Rs. 74,234 crores total in FY 2022-23 so far. (Source: AMFI)

When it comes to investing in equity markets, retail investors often look at the movements of the benchmark indices - NSE Nifty 50, S&P BSE Sensex BSE 200, BSE Midcap Index, BSE Small Cap Index, Nifty 500, etc. This is because such indices may be considered indicators of financial markets.

Investing may be considered more of an art than a science. Amidst a wide range of investment options, products may be selected basis individual risk profiles, financial goals and investment horizons. Within an investment portfolio, the focus should also be on diversification and optimal asset allocation.

Diversification of investment portfolio across different asset classes

A demat account is a digital account available through depositories, whereby investors can hold their securities in a dematerialised or digital form. Investors can use it for multiple securities like equity shares, bonds, debentures, ETFs (Exchange Traded Funds), mutual funds etc.

National Savings Certificate (NSC) is one of the investment options the Government of India offers. NSC investments are received and serviced by the National Small Savings Fund, managed by the government through the interface of post offices.

As per income tax laws, all taxpayers must file their Income Tax Return (ITR) for the previous year, within the prescribed due dates, during the assessment year. The due date for filing tax returns for salaried taxpayers & non-audit businesspersons and professionals is usually July 31. Sometimes this date may be extended by the Finance Ministry.

Since the terms  'financial year', 'previous year' and 'assessment year' are often used in income tax laws, it’s helpful for all taxpayers to know their basic meaning. Read on to know the meaning and importance of these terms.